Last week, the two newest members of the SEC were welcomed to the league as many expected – with a loss. Auburn and Arkansas both had major letdowns while Alabama and LSU took care of business as expected.
I had a good week going 11-4, putting me 21-9 on the season for a .700 correct percentage.

Occasionally I get a score exactly right, and last week I missed the Ole Miss game by just 1 point. My prediction was Mississippi 27 – UTEP 10 and the actual score was 28-10.

Will the Tide continue to roll this weekend? Will Auburn finally find a check mark in the “W” column? Let’s take a look.

South Alabama @ North Carolina State
Things are really about to heat up for the Jags as they hit the road to play North Carolina State followed by a trip next week to take on Mississippi State. It will be interesting to see if this program is making the strides they’ve been hoping for. The Wolfpack handled the Jags easily last year, and I doubt this go round will to be much different. N.C. State 28 – South Alabama 13

UAB @ South Carolina
Blazer fans were expecting more in the season opener against Troy, but didn’t have much to brag about after the dust had settled. Will a week off make a difference for UAB as they head into Williams-Brice Stadium for the Saturday evening contest? Look for a big game from Lattimore, and another loss for the Blazers. South Carolina 35 – UAB 17

Vandy @ Presbyterian
Finally, the Commodores will enjoy the thrill of victory. They better enjoy the feeling, because Georgia, Missouri and Florida are lined up and waiting. Vandy 27 – Presbyterian 7

Missouri vs. Arizona State
The Sun Devils come into this contest with the 17th ranked offense and 24th ranked defense, scoring 108 points collectively in their first two contests while giving up only 20. Last Saturday, it looked as if the Tigers were going to give the Georgia Bulldogs a run for their money, but it was all Dawgs in the second half. Missouri is a slight favorite and I believe they will represent their new conference well on Saturday. Missouri 24 – Arizona State 20

Mississippi State @ Troy
Troy beat the Bulldogs back in ’01, but their track record against SEC teams since then has been dismal. This will be the first time the Trojans have hosted an SEC foe at Memorial Stadium, but there is no way that Dan Mullen is going to allow this team to slip. Mississippi State has a favorable chance of being 5-0 when they face Tennessee and possibly 7-0 when they travel to Tuscaloosa in late October. Mississippi State 34 – Troy 24

Georgia vs. Florida Atlantic
The Owls travel to Sanford Stadium this week, followed by a trip to Tuscaloosa next weekend. I hope they use the money they make off of these two games wisely, because they are headed for a serious beat down. Georgia 49 – Florida Atlantic 10

LSU vs. Idaho
Idaho is 0-2 and has only scored a total of 16 points against Eastern Washington and Bowling Green. They will likely not cross the 50-yard line on Saturday. You know the old cliché that on any given Saturday, anybody can beat anybody? Yeah, well not this week Idaho. LSU 53 – Idaho 0.

Ole Miss vs. Texas
I like Hugh Freeze as a football coach. I like the style of offense that Ole Miss is playing. I like the fact that the Rebels are 2-0 for the first time in four seasons. I like the fact that Ole Miss is hosting a quality, non-conference team on a nationally televised stage in prime time. A win for Mississippi would be huge for recruiting. I just don’t like their chances. Texas 28 – Ole Miss 17

Auburn vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Based on what we have seen the past two weeks, I almost find it funny that Auburn opened the week in Vegas as a 17-point favorite. Do the odds makers know something that we don’t? Have they seen Auburn play this season? Did they watch Louisiana-Monroe open their season last week with a huge win over the No. 8 Razorbacks? Ultimately, however, it is the Sun Belt vs. the SEC, it is the Tiger’s home opener, and yes, I believe that Auburn will finally get their act together. But no, it won’t be by 17 points. Auburn 24 – Louisiana Monroe 21

Alabama vs. Arkansas
An Arkansas Razorback team “with” QB Tyler Wilson would make this an interesting contest. Without him, this won’t be a game. Alabama showed Saturday that they can be susceptible to a sack here and there, but they still shutout an opponent 35-0. Many had this game circled as Alabama’s litmus test for this 2012 season, but after the Razorbacks loss to Louisiana-Monroe and the possible loss of their field general, that no longer seems to be the case. Alabama 31 – Arkansas 14

Upset of the Week:
Tennessee vs. Florida
Before anyone starts sending me nasty emails telling me that a Florida win over Tennessee would not be an upset, I beg to differ. Tennessee has looked great on both sides of the ball in their first two games. The Gators struggled against Bowling Green and just squeaked by last Saturday against Texas A&M. Florida is ranked 83rd in offense, while Tennessee is ranked 15th. On top of that, the game is being played at Neyland Stadium and Vegas has the Vols as a 2 ½ point favorite. So yes, it would be considered an upset if Florida wins, and that is what is going to happen. Florida 31 – Tennessee 28

Dale Jones is a syndicated sports columnist, member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association, The Football Writers Association of America, and the Society of Professional Journalists. Email Dale at sportsNparadise@gmail.com or on twitter @sportsNparadise.

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40 Responses to “PICKS: Alabama’s litmus test will not be such a test after all”
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Wow how LUCKY can one team be, last year bama gets lucky and gets a rematch they didn’t deserve, and in the only two games they have this year on their schedule against preseason ranked teams besides LSU, both of those teams lose one of their best offensive starters before the game. I guess the expression “I’d rather be lucky than good” really applies to this bama team.

How much can one LSU fan obsess over everything Bama? The butt-hurt and Saban-hate flows strong with this one. He posts here more than any Bama fan does. Keep making excuses Tooth! Your tears keep us entertained!

Hi Tracie,
I tried to post a comment on you site but it wouldnt let me. Where the words “post your comment” and “email address” are you cant erase them or move the cursor to wipe them and put yor information/post in.

Jealousy and fear burn like a fire don’t they dipshit. Or are you just saying Bama’s repeat is going to be karma. We saw just what a liability Michigan had. That great RB had 6 yards against Àir Force, while Robinson the guy we had in our back pocket had 408 of Michigan’s 430 yards. Anyway there’s no guarantee that Wilson won’t play. They will keep Bama guessing until game time to make it more difficult to prepare. Arky locked down their practices so he could be there right now. Not that it would make any difference. Bama had #15 in their pocket. You really are a masochist aren’t you? 21-0 wasn’t enough pain and embarrassment for you? Now you’re gonna hang around and be our bitch again on Nov 3rd? Bwaa Haww Haww! RTR!

Three reply post but not a single one denying the truth of how lucky bama is!

Well at least Crimsonite made an attempt to say bama MIGHT NOT be completely lucky because “there’s no guarantee that Wilson won’t play”, but I guess the corollary to Crimsonite’s attempt is the fact that if Wilson doesn’t play, he is agreeing with my post.

But Crimsonite you should think before you make a comment about someone else’s RB only having 6 yards against Air Force, when that is only 30 yards less than the starting running back of your mighty highly recruited bama team running behind what many have claimed is the best offense line in the nation, which includes superman Barret! And Oh yea it was only 19 yards less than your best running back and leading rusher after two games, running behind that same “great” offensive line. And all of that production was against Western Kentucky! Wow.

And with a negative 38 yards rushing by Mccarron, exactly how many sacks did that line allow?

I thnik I’ve said it on here before, people who live in glass houses should not throw rocks, no matter how lucky you are! LOL

I will take lucky and good anyday of the week. But look at it this way, Bama plays them weither they are well or sick. Sometimes the roster is decimated by injury. Sometimes not. Either way Bama usually wipes up the field with them in the second half.

You are an LSU fan, talking about Bama being lucky. You have Miles for a head coach, and Miles has won more games off of sheer luck at LSU than any other coach. Keep it coming Tooth! You are SO funny! So keep throwin dem rocks l’ami!

Our entire offensive line admitted they were fucking around and they appologized for it. What’s more Saban ran nothing but pure vanilla into the LOS and WKU played 8 in the box on every down which allowed the best QB in the SEC to bomb their asses. We certainly hope everybody is stupid enough to play us with 8 in the box just like you all have done for the last 3 years. McCarron and these recievers will eat your asses up. Not that they really have to since you can’t score anyway. I’m not the least bit worried about this team or any of our opppnents. Sounds like you are though. RTR!

And as far as being lucky motherfucker, it’s your Corndogs who are lucky. You don’t play shit before Bama. Jesus Christ – North Texas, Idaho and Towson State (is that a junior college?), and Washington who’s one of the worst teams in the Pac12 especially after we took their OC. You play 3 decent teams – Florida, So Carolina and TA&M who we already know isn’t as good as Florida. While we play Michigan, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Tennessee (who’s gonna kick Florida’s ass Saturday, and finally Miss State while you have the week off to prepare for us. No dipshit, you’re the lucky one irrefutably and unchangeably by your schedule. As for our so called luck – the results will still be the same. Not any RB for Michigan nor a healthy Arkansas with Wilson would make much difference. Arky has been our bitch now for 4 straight years. And were gonna make the Corndogs our bitch for 4.out of 5 years cause the whole country knows that Nov 5th last year meant .othing after we curb stomped you like a cheap Bourbon Street whore on Jan 9th. 21-0! Bwaa Haww Haww! RTR!

A seven course meal is a bucket of KFC and a sixpack.
One of your kids was born on a pool table.
Your lifetime goal is to own a fireworks stand.
Someone asks to see your ID and you show them your belt buckle.
Your house doesn’t have curtains, but your truck does.
You need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.
You have flowers planted in a bathroom fixture in your front yard.
You think the Mountain Men in Deliverance were just “misunderstood”.
If you refer to the fifth grade as, “your senior year”.
You’ve ever climbed a water tower with a bucket of paint to defend your sister’s honor.
It’s easier to spray weed killer on your lawn than mow it.
You’ve been on TV more than 5 times describing the sound of a tornado.
Your aunt and your grandmother went to the funeral and had a fight over who gets to be the widow.
You can tell your age by the number of rings in the bathtub.

Wonder if dumbass Twuth has started worrying about whether or not the Corndogs are gonna have enough players left to field a team by Nov 3rd. Just this week they lost a starter for the season to injury and 4 for the season to what is believed to be academic ineligibility, one of which was a starter. Tbat’s 11 lost since the start of fall practice. Damn. Isn’t LSWho on probation? What if they have to vacate tbe 2 games that guy has played in? Oops! RTR!

Not worried at all Crimsonite. At LSU unlike at bama, grades are not fixed for players to allow them to play. At LSU you have to pass classes in order to play. Eddie Lacy couldn’t pass high school, yet he is passing classes at the University of alabama? LOL I don’t know maybe that says something about the quality of education you get at alabama.

Once again Crimsonite you prove your lack of knowledge. No chance of vacating games, like bama has had to do in the past, because none of the players ruled ineligible have played in any of the games this year. But keep dreaming Crimsonite.

Wonder if dumbass Twuth has started worrying about whether or not the Corndogs are gonna have enough players left to field a team by Nov 3rd. Just this week they lost a starter for the season to injury and 4 for the season to what is believed to be academic ineligibility, one of which was a starter. Tbat’s 11 lost since the start of fall practice. Damn. Isn’t LSWho on probation? What if they have to vacate tbe 2 games that guy has played in? Oops! RTR!

Once again you show your utter fucking stupidity moron. One of the 4 was a starter. That means he played in both games. Now if he was supposed to be a starter but has been held out pending results, then it’s the news source that’s the idiot for failing to make it clear. Of course you stupid Son of a Bitch, every one of Louisiana’s top athletes that we steal LSWho didn’t want because they were stupid. Poor ol’ Landon Collins, what a dumbass he must be! That’s alright Shit For Brains, we’ll take your dumb ones and you can keep the criminals. Bwaa Haww Haww! RTR!

Well Crimsonite, lets prove who is the stupid moron once and for all. Name the one that you claim is one of the 4 lost for “the season to what is believed to be academic ineligibility, one of which was a starter”, and then document your proof where he started or played in a game this year.

YOU CAN’T because you are the stupid moron!

Tahj Jones would have been a starter but he was held out of play pending his appeal.

“Miles announced ahead of LSU’s season opener that Jones, long considered a starter at linebacker, had been ruled academically ineligible but was undergoing an appeal. The junior has not played in either of the Tigers’ two games this season.”
“

By the way dumbass maybe if your fucking high school system would tutor and help these guys get an education instead of blowing them off to stand on a street corner, then you wouldn’t have such a high percentage of stellar athletes who can’t read or write. RTR!

Ok. I’m trying out Opra Mini. It wasn’t saving my cookies or wanting to post using the CR mobile site. But now that I’ve switched to the full site it’s working fine. Don’t know yet if I’ll have the same problem on every web page or not. Hope not since some full sites like ESPN are just too damn big to be convienient even on a Droid. If that doesn’t turn out to be a problem then I’m gonna like Opra Mini since it’s really convienient, very small (860 kb) and light years faster than Google or Firefox. Any of ya’ll using it and if so are you having any aggravations?

Yeah, yeah, yeah I found a more complete article that said he was held out. So sue me, I didn’t write yesterdays story. Whatever dumbass, my post was about the huge number of players you’ve lost not about forfieting games. Saban runs the cleanest program in the top 25. Nobody’s grades get changed. You have us confused with Awbie. All athletes at all D1 universities are held to the exact same standard by the NCAA who we have no intention of pissing off. Fuck off! RTR!

Last I checked Obama was half white and half black, so how is any comment about him being racist? And if you think it is, what race is a comment about him being racist towards? His white half or his black half? YOU RC are the only one on here who ever and allways screams racisism when it never exist. Reed and Pelosi are two of the worst democrats and goverment officials this country has ever seen, and they are white! So if YOU think that last comment about Reed and Pelosi is racist, you have a problem and are the racist! Obama is as bad a president as Jimmy Carter, who is white by the way RC! I would say the same thing I said earlier about him are Clinton, who is also white RC! YOU RC are the one with the race problem. So to make you fell better RC let me say Obama is the best black president, but the worst white president this country has ever had. There you feel better now?

And by the way RC less people voted for Obama in the State of Alabama, 38%, than in any other state in the south in 2008 except for Florida! So in your mind I guess that makes more than just a few of your very own bama fans racist, right? Maybe you should become a gator fan.